WINTERIZE YOUR PLANTS(TREES OR BUSHES)

Winter is the time when plants rest and recuperate for next growing season but they are not totally in hibernation like bears. When I was a kid I often thought that was the case that plants stop feeding when they are covered in snow.


Here are some of things I do to get my outside plants ready for winter and next spring: trimming, pruning, feeding, weeding, aerating, watering and mulching.

Trimming To Plants Health
Trim off all or as much as possible the dead limbs, buds or flowers from plants. Dead plant tissue is a good place for diseases or maybe pests. If you don't know if the branch is dead or alive just bend it and if it is brittle or breaks easily then it is dead. Live branch can be determined by color of the outermembrane/skin which is usually greenish or any color other than dull grayish brown.



Pruning To Shape
Shape your trees or plants by pruning. Two methods on pruning a tree or a bush to grow outward/ wider or inward/taller for new growing season. Pruning is easier after the leaves have falling off nonevergreen tree or bush. If you want a tree or bush to grow inward or taller prune away limb on left side of the bud or new growth which means the bud's up and to plant center. If you want a wider head on bush or tree growing more horizontal prune the limb on the right side of the bud so the bud is pointed up and away from plant center.



Pruning and trimming is very good way to promote new growth and strong healthy tree or bush. Sometimes a plant can be stagnant because it might not get enough sun because one of it's nonproductive branch or limb is blocking it from sun or that branch could be invaded by pests or dieseases.


Feeding
Plants will need to be fed. You could work in the ground near the roots with fertilizer high in phosphorus for flowered trees or bushes and nitrogen for non-flowered plants. If you want slow releasing nitrogen for your plants mix oatmeal with hair, yes hair, and ball them up and stick the ball under the roots. When spring rolls around apply epson salt which is high magnesium if want your plants to have very deep green foilage.



Weeding is cost saving
Weeds are costly to you and your plants. If you don't remove weeds you will have to spend more money on keeping your plants alive and healthy. Weeds will take take away your plants' nutrients, sun, air and space and your plants will not grow to their potential. Several ways to keep weeds down are to spray them or lay a mesh sheet material over the dirt.



Aerating for oxygen
Bush and trees need to breathe. Well aerated dirt will be soft and crumbly. If you dirt is dried and pack down you need to work it in with mixture of little bit of sand and a lot of top soil from any local home improvement stores. Every once in a while use a shovel or garden trowel move or rotated dirt so air could get in. Earthworms/red worms also are very important your dirt richness, the more earthworms/red worms you have the better.



Watering
Plants will need water even in the winter time. I know it is impossible to water in the frozen snow but you could prepare the plants before hand. Water the plants as much as possible before it gets too cold or covered by snow. When plants are hydrated they are not susceptible to frost damage.



Mulching
Mulch your plants with cedar mulch because it rot and pest resistant. Mulching help saves watering and keeps weeds down. Mulching with rocks can be very expensive because dirt sinks and then you will have replace them. Mulching with dried leaves is not recommended because it could lead to dieases, mold and unwanted pest in the ground, plus it traps dirt from breathing. Use mulch material that keeps weeds down, saves watering and allows ground to breathe.



If you have done all or most what have been discussed above you should enjoy your next growing season and your plants is going to love you and at the same time you will be saving time and money.



HAPPY PLANTING!